Rest of Dec SMMFC short stories
by Sheankelor
Summary: These are the ones that didn't fit into the Tainted Gifts story line. Written for SMMFC for Dec 06. Please let me know if you enjoy!
1. A new Party D&D SM

Title: A new party  
Author: Ree  
Theme: Shitennou (stable)  
Genre: General  
Version: Manga/Anime  
Rating: G

Takeuchi Naoko had the wonderful imagination to create these gentlemen and their companions. I've just decided to borrow their look alike doubles and give them scripts. 

A new party 

Mamoru adjusted the paper screens that divided the table between himself and the four other men sitting at the table. He got the smaller section, so next to him sat a chair with a small stack of books. Sitting behind the screen was a spiral bound notebook, a sheet of graph paper, and an army of little dice.

Watching them over the screen, he started. "Okay, you all are going to meet in a stable."

The four other players looked at him with varying expressions. Kunzite was the first to speak. "Why the stable? I don't want to meet them in the stable." The others nodded in agreement.

Mamoru just smiled. "You all ride up to a tavern in a little town outside of Baldur's Gate. You enter the stable to bed down your horses." He glanced over at Nephrite. "And your pony."

Nephrite frowned. "Pony!? Why do I get a pony? I want a horse."

Mamoru shook his head. "Dwarfs are to short for a horse. You might be to short for a pony, but I'm letting you have one."

Nephrite continued to frown, but didn't voice anymore objections, so Mamoru continued. "What do you do inside the stable?"

Kunzite, who was sitting to Mamoru's right, started. "I would look for a stable hand."

"Not one. This tavern is a little on the cheap side."

Kunzite frowned at the response. "Then I want to go to a better tavern."

Mamoru cocked an eyebrow. "Can you afford one?" Looking at the paper in front of him, Kunzite shook his head and sighed. "Unsaddling the horse and start to brush her down."

Nephrite was next. "I unsaddle my _ pony_ and start to brush him down."

Jadeite and Zoisite both said the same answer as Kunzite.

Mamoru glanced down at the paper in front of him. "As your currying your animals, a well-to-do man enters the stable and exclaims, "I see that the rumors were right. A party of adventures did come into town."

All four of the players looked up at the DM, and waited. Mamoru continued. "Ah! I see I have your attention. My name is Owin Swin and I am one of the Elders of this town. We would like to hire you." Mamoru paused and looked expectantly at the others.

The others looked at each other for a moment, and then Kunzite started in. "Before we can agree, please tell us what you wish to hire us for?"

Zoisite jumped in. "And how much are you paying us?"

Mamoru nodded, getting into the role of the Elder. "There is a band of orcs attacking our out lying farms. They also have goblins working for them. The goblins have become bold enough to start raiding in the town proper. We know that their stronghold is northeast of town, but we're not sure if the cave network they have holed up in has other creatures in it or not. The Council has decide to pay two hundred gold pieces, and you can have all the treasure that you find there."

Jadite jumped in. "How do we prove that we have completed the task?"

Mamoru creased his brow for a moment. "We will send a small party of stout hearted men to check it out."

The four would-be adventures looked at each other, then Nephrite spoke. "Give us a little while to discuss this. Where can we meet you to let you know our decision?"

"I'll be at the stables next to the blacksmith." Mamoru's face shifted expressions. "Owin left the stable and walked away." He looked at them expectantly again.

"Shall we sit in the tavern and talk about this?" Kunzite waited to hear the response. Nephrite and Jadeite nodded, but Zoisite paused for a moment, and carefully looked them over. Finally he nodded.

"You walk into the tavern and are seated by a comely wench. She asks if you would like to order anything."

Jadeite glanced at his paper and grinned. "I would like some mead."

Zoisite shook his head and mumbled under his breath. "Elves and their mead." Then speaking up he ordered. "I would like a beer."

Jadeite returned his comment. "Humans and their beer."

Nephrite frowned at the elf sitting across the table. "Dwarfish beer is good!" He cast his eyes towards Mamoru. "Do you have any?"

Mamoru rolled a four-sided die. "Your in luck, we got a shipment in today."

Nephrite smiled. "Then I would like a mug, please. And I guess the half-elf will want mead as well?" As he finished he looked at Kunzite.

Kunzite wrinkled his nose in disgust. "No." Putting on a more pleasant expression he continued."I would like a glass of white wine."

Mamoru nodded. "The wench has left to fill your orders."

Nephrite frowned slightly. "The town assumed we were a party." He cast a cursory glance over the other three. "And the money doesn't sound bad to me. Shall we band together and do this?"

Kunzite cast a pondering glance over them. "I think we first should introduce ourselves, but I agree with you, the money doesn't sound bad." The other signaled their agreement. Kunzite continued. "I am Terrick, a cleric for the great, powerful god Azuth."

Zoisite looked happier. "Can you cast a relible healing spell?"

"Of course I am." Kunzite looked affronted.

Nephrite broke in. "I am Rentor. I am a fighter specialized in axes and short swords."

Zoisite pretended to pick up a glass and take a sip. "I am Allakazar, mage extraordinar. I even know a spell for finding traps."

Jadeite fidgeted with his dice. "And I am Windsong, ranger. I specialize in swords and daggers."

The half-elf nodded. "It looks like we are a balanced group." Kunzite flashed a smile at Zoisite. "We won't even have to worry that much about traps. I say we team up and try."

The other nodded in agreement. Jadeite looked over at Mamoru. "We finish our drinks, and then go find the stables near the blacksmith."

Mamoru rolled a ten-sided dice. "You find the stables after a little searching."

"We enter the stables and look for Owin Swin." Zoisite waited to hear Mamoru's response.

"You see him in the back of the large stables, in the stall with a large, black horse."

"Excuse us, Elder Swin." Mamoru shifted his gaze to Kunzite. "We have decided to accept the job. But we ask for food and water for a couple of days, since we're not sure how long this will take."

Mamoru spoke in his Owin voice. "You think it will take a couple of days?"

Nephrite shrugged. "You said yourself that you are not sure what all is in the cave system. It could take us a while to clean out your problem."

Mamoru pursed his lips, and then nodded. "Done. You will start today?"

The new party looked at their spokes person. Kunzite studied Mamoru's face for a moment, and then finally answered. "Once we have our supplies, we'll start." 


	2. I'm not scared D&D SM

Title: I'm not scared  
Author: Ree  
Theme: Shitennou (phobia)  
Genre: General  
Version: Manga/Anime  
Rating: G

Takeuchi Naoko had the wonderful imagination to create these gentlemen and their companions. I've just decided to borrow their look alike doubles and give them scripts.

I'm not scared

_A/N: Liche- undead clerics or priests. They are extremely high level and Mamoru was not very nice to put them against one. For any D&Ders out there, all the characters are about level 4 here. Liches are hard for a level 6 or 7 cleric to turn. _  
Kunzite stared at the paper Mamoru handed him. _'I can't believe that he is doing this to me. I'm a cleric! How can I develop a phobia of the undead? Sure, most of the times that I attempt to turn them end in dismal failure, and then all the times our party has had to run from them. And then there was that liche that he threw at us... But still!'_ Sighing inwardly, he knew that the DM wouldn't change his mind. He contemplated the slip of paper a few moments longer, and then looked up at the Mamoru.

Finally, he gave the only reply he could think of. "I go find a nearby temple to Azuth and ask for counseling."

Mamuro smiled. "You find a nearby temple. The head of the temple is a high level cleric." He then slid another piece of paper at Kunzite.

Kunzite started reading the paper while Mamoru turned to Nephrite and started debating about the size of ax a dwarf could carry.

_Terrick enters the temple and sees an old female cleric. As he  
approaches her, the halfling turns and watches him, the flail at her side  
swinging gently. Terrick kneels before her and presents his problem.  
She narrows her green eyes for just a moment, and then began speaking.  
"Phobias can be very hard to overcome. I have a companion, an elven mage,  
who has a phobia of water. She finally overcame this by having a talisman  
that helps her feel safe." She reaches up and brushes her fingers across a  
blue stone that hung from one of the many necklaces she was wearing.  
"I think your talisman should be your holy symbol. You need to trust Azuth  
to protect you, and you companions. With that belief and your holy symbol,  
I think you'll be alright. Just turn your fear into strength. Pray harder, and  
focus more energy into your prayer. Just don't let that fear control you."_

_Terrick reaches up an touched his holy symbol as he contemplates her words.  
Then he hears her continue. "And always keep a spare holy symbol around.  
You never know when one of your companions will be charmed by the undead  
into stealing your main one." She closed her eyes and shook her head, as if trying  
get rid of a particularly bad memory. When she opened them again, she looked  
straight at him. "I hope that helped. Good luck." As she turns and walks away,  
Terrick hears the faint sound of chain mail rattling under her robes. _

Kunzite looked up as he finished reading the paper. Mamoru caught his glance, and started that evenings campaign.

The party stood outside of a door deep in the dungeon they had been cleaning out. Zoisite mimed leaning closer to the door. "Attempting to detect noise." He rolled two ten-sided dice. When he saw one percent, he smiled. "I hear everything." He looked at Mamoru, and waited.

Mamoru glanced at the dice. "You here the slow shuffling of footsteps. They almost sound like they were being dragged across the ground."

Jadeite, Nephrite, and Zoisite looked over at Kunzite. Mamoru had just describe the footsteps of a zombie.

Kunzite frowned. "Well, let's get in there!"

Zoisite checked for traps and found none. Opening the door carefully, the party made sure that Kunzite was at the back of the group. Mamoru described the scene. "The room is a twenty by thirty room. There are four zombies in the far left corner, and two mummies in the far right corner."

Nephrite glanced at everyone, and then spoke. "We enter the room. I head for the zombies."

Jadeite glanced at his character sheet. "I go with him."

Zoisite shot a look over at Kunzite. He knew that Allakazar would be complaining about being left with the cleric, but he was actually glad. "I head for the mummies."

"I touch my holy symbol and follow him." Kunzite waited see what Mamoru was going to say.

Mamoru frowned. "Terrick, you have developed a phobia of the undead. You wouldn't go walking into battle with one."

Kunzite was ready with his rebuttal. "I have put my trust into my deity. I'm using my symbol as a talisman as the elder cleric suggested. I feel I should be able to do so."

Mamoru stared at him for a moment. and finally sighed. "Role an intelligence check."

Kunzite rolled his twenty-sided dice. It came up with a three. "Made it. I have an intelligence of seventeen, and rolled a three. That is definitely under my intelligence."

"Okay, you approached the mummies."

As the party attacked the monsters, they began to fail as usual. Finally they had worked their way around so that the monsters were between them and the door. When it was Kunzite's turn, he announced that he was attempting to turn undead. Mamoru shook his head. " Your party is losing the battle. This could bring your phobia back full force. I need a wisdom check."

Kunzite rolled his dice and made it. Smiling he spoke as he rolled to see what he was able to turn. "Made it!" He looked down at his new roll. "And I succeeded."

Mamoru glanced at the charts on the screen. "All the remaining undead flee the room."

Kunzite's party members cheered for him. "You did it!! You were able to turn them!!"

As Mamoru watched, he could see the bonds being forged. Team work, no matter what type, always help to forge tight bonds.


	3. A quiet moment PGSM

Title: A quiet moment  
Author: Ree  
Theme: Shitennou (storm: day 30)  
Genre: General  
Version: PGSM After Special Act  
Rating: G

Takeuchi Naoko had the wonderful imagination to create these gentlemen and their companions. I've just decided to borrow their look alike doubles and give them scripts. 

A quiet moment 

A/N: For those who don't know, Shin is Kunzite.

Shin stood on the shore, feeling the sand squelch between his toes. The beach was deserted for as far as the eye could see in all directions. Smiling softly, he enjoyed listening to the wind that was gently lifting his hair as it blew in off the sea. _'I don't think I'll cut it short again. Nephrite said I should, but girls seem to like the length my hair.'_

Staring out to the ocean, Shin watched the tide slowly come in. As his gaze followed a wave to the beach, the tide pools caught his attention. Walking over to one, he watched as the starfish and sea urchins found their respective meals. Then he continued his walk down the beach. _'It sure is nice to get here when all the kids are in school. It is so much more peaceful.'_ Jadeite and Nephrite tried to convince him to go to the carnival that had set up in one of the nearby parks. _'I don't see how they stand all that racket. I'm sure _ She_ would love to go, and Endymion would be thrilled to take her.'_ A small smile curled his lips as he imagined his prince and his chosen bride running around a carnival.

Looking back over the sand, Shin was glad he chose to come here. As he walked he scanned the beach for shells, and also kept an eye on the water's height. He spotted a conch shell on the shore, and when he flipped it over to peer inside, he spotted the hermit crab hiding as deep in it as it could get. _'I wonder if Usagi would squeal or laugh. I have to learn more about this new princess of mine. What makes her happy? What is she afraid of?'_ Gently turning the shell back over, he sat it back on the sand. Shin was not surprised when all the snail shells he found on the beach had crabs in them.

Suddenly a strong wind picked up. Turning his gaze out to sea, he looked for a storm to be blowing in. Not seeing any signs of one, he was inclined to dismiss the idea until he was buffeted in the back by another gust of wind. _'Blowing in from land? Most storms come in from the sea, not the other way around.'_ He looked over his shoulder and saw a large storm cloud blowing towards him.

_'That's an awful lot of rain coming out of that cloud.'_ He saw streaks of lightening come flying out of the cloud towards the ground and a few moments later the thunder finally reached his ears. _'Time to find shelter. I don't want to be the tallest thing on the beach.'_ Picking up the bucket full of shells, Shin hurried over the wall. As he went towards the storm, he felt the wind trying to blow him away. He barely made it into the restaurant before the storm reached it. Taking a table in front of the window, he watched the storm blowing out to sea. _'Somethings come unexpectedly. They don't go the right way. Storms are supposed to blow in from the sea, not out to sea. The Moon and the Earth are not to touch.'_ The image of Princess Serenity standing on the Moon with her arms stretched out towards Prince Endymion on the Earth flew into his mind. _'Fate has found a way.'_ Smiling, he remembered Usagi and Mamoru standing at the alter, exchanging vows that were forbidden in their past lives. _'Anything can happen. Both of them reborn at this time, in this place. They met each other, and their love helped them survive.'_ Listening to the rain as it hit the window in front of him, he watched as the surf blew away from the shore. _' Yes, anything can happen. Just like a thunderstorm heading out to sea.'_


	4. A free afternoon

Title: A free afternoonAuthor: Ree  
Theme: Shitennou (Image)  
Genre: General  
Version: Manga/Anime  
Rating: G

Takeuchi Naoko had the wonderful imagination to create these gentlemen and their companions. I've just decided to borrow their look alike doubles and give them scripts.

**_This could be part of the "Tainted Gifts" storyline._**

A free afternoon

Kunzite finally stood at the top of the mountain. It had taken him most of the day to climb it, but it was worth it. The view was spectacular. The clouds rushed by, sweeping their shadows over the ground. But the view was not the reason he had climbed up here. Smiling, he knew that Queen Beryl had no clue where he was, or why he was there. If she did, she would have stopped him.

Closing his eyes, he let the wind blow against him. It buffeted him even as it blew his cloak behind him. Most hikers avoided the edges today because of the strong winds that were blowing through. The winds were why he was there. Finally, he felt the wind energy soaking though the darkness that surrounded his heart. The dark spell weakened its hold on him, until it too was streaming behind him in two long dark ribbons. Only then did he open his eyes, and take in the landscape before him. He savored the feel of the land, his land, under his feet, and ringing through his bones. He missed this feeling. The feeling of being accepted, of being loved by the ones close to him. There was no love in the Dark Kingdom. And ever since that fateful day, the day that She had trapped him and made him deceive his prince, his land had forsaken him as well. Only when he was partially free of the dark power could he feel it.

Kunzite looked at the rock strewn ground. Reaching down he tried to pick up a small handful of soil, but the wind blew with less strength the closer to he was to the ground. Shutting out the feeling of remorse, he stood back up into the wind. He wasn't ready to fall back under the spell.

He spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying being himself. He practiced his sword play, lounged on the rocks, and soaked in the peace that surrounded him. As evening came, the wind began to die down. Before he lost control, Kunzite voice the one wish, one hope, that he always did when he could escape Her power. In a soft, quiet whisper, he spoke into the dying wind. "Please, forgive me. " And as always, he hoped that the wind would carry it to the ears of the one he was meant to protect.


End file.
